For Immediate Release
Media Inquiries:
(240) 686-3510 | media@mdpolicy.org

ROCKVILLE, MD - During today's State of the State speech, Governor Moore laid out two familiar themes: We have to raise taxes and we have to grow our economy. Unfortunately, those two themes are at odds with each other.
 

"We've seen this movie before. Governor O'Malley taxed high income earners, and they left. Not only did the tax not have the intended positive effect on the state's revenue, but it may have contributed to lower economic growth as entrepreneurs and businesses packed up to flee the state too. Now, with a stagnant economy, Governor Moore and the legislature are raising taxes again, at a time when people are more mobile than ever. Why do they expect different results from doing the same thing?" said Christopher Summers, President and CEO of the Maryland Public Policy Institute.
 

Summers continued, the most recent census data show that our state already had the seventh highest domestic outmigration in the country since the 2020 census - that's more people leaving than coming in. Other high-tax states (California and New York "lead" this sorry league) have seen the same results. With more and more people leaving, Governor Moore is going to have a tough time growing our economy, and raising taxes isn't going to convince the most productive Marylanders to stay."

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The Maryland Public Policy Institute is a nonpartisan public policy research and education organization that focuses on state policy issues. The Institute’s mission is to formulate and promote public policies at all levels of government based on principles of free enterprise, limited government, and civil society. Learn more at mdpolicy.org.